Cabinet for groceries



(No Model.)

J. A. OWEN. GABINET PoR GROGBRIBS.

Patented Deo. 2l, 1897;

www i UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE. y

JAMES A. OWEN, OF CHESTER, SOUTH CAROLINA.

CABINET FOR GROCERIES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,834, dated December 21, 1897'.

' Application tiled May 1,1897- Serial No` 634,681. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, JAMES A. OWEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chester, in the county of Chester and State of South Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvement-s in Cabinets for Groceries; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the artto which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to cabinets adapted especially for the use of grocers and intended to contain and display groceries of various kinds-such as sugar, coffee, rice, beans, hominy, tea, &c. 5 and its purpose is to provide an inexpensive cabinet consisting of any desired number of separate bins or compartments so constructed as to be readily filled and to display the contents of each bin, and being provided with means for collecting all droppings or waste resulting from the withdrawal of the contents of the bins by the ordinary scoop.

The novel features of the invention will be fully described hereinafter and are embodied in the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the cabinet, and Fig. 2 is a central vertical section taken through one of the bins.

The cabinetis composed of any desired number of bins, and each bin is preferably of rectangular shape, comprising parallel sides 1 and 2, a back 3, and a base or bottom 4. Each bin has its own top or cover consisting of a stationary section 5, extending about midway of the depth of the bin, and a movable section or door 6, hinged to the forward edge of the stationary section 5.

The front of the bin consists of a frame 7, secured between the side walls 1 and 2 and inclosing a glass A, the upper end 8 of the frame resting below the top of the bin, while its lower end 9'is located a considerable distance above the'bottom of the bin. A vertical door 10 is hinged to the upper end of the frame 7 and is adapted to close upwardly and snugly fit the forward edge of the horizontal door 6, to which it is detachably connected by a pin and hook or other fastening 11.

12 indicates a transverse partition secured Within the bin to the sides and front thereof and extending backwardly with a downward inclination toward the rear and forming the bottom proper of the receptacle. A space or throatway 13 is left between the rear edge of the partition 12 and the back 3 of the bin to permit the contents of the bin to feed gradually from the receptacle onto a horizontal partition orfiooring 14, arranged below the partition 12 and dividing the bin into two compartments 15 and 16, the former constituting the main receptacle of the bin and the latter a supplemental compartment adapted to receive a drawer 17, having the usual hand-knob 1S. The contents of the bins are withdrawn by scoops in the ordinary way from the space, of which the partition 14 forms the bottom and the partition 12 is the top.

The front edge of the horizontal partition or flooring 14 is recessed or cut away to form an opening 19, through which the material that is drawn forward by passing the scoop in and out or which drops from the scoop itself may fall into -the drawer 17 instead of being spilled on the floor. The space between the two partitions 12 and 14 is closed in front by a door 20, hinged to a cross-bar 21 above the drawer 17. This door is provided with a knob 22, and is preferably secured by springhinges, so as to close automatically.' It may be hinged so as to close upwardly or downwardly, as desired.

A vertical partition 23 is arranged within the bin behind the frame 8 to form in connection with the glass front A a shallow compartment 24. The partition 23 preferably extends entirely across the bin and is secured to the sides 1 and 2, but terminates slightly above the inclined partition 12. When the space 24 is filled with merchandise, asample of the contents is visible through the glass A, and the bin will, moreover, at all times have the outward appearance of being full, although its compartment 15 may contain little or nothing. The bin therefore serves as a display or advertising cabinet, as well as a receptacle for merchandise. The object of leaving a small space between the edge of the partition 23 and the partition 12 is to permit the contents of the shallow sample-compartment to automatically discharge itself when the bin is empty, thus insuring a fresh sample each time the bin is illed that corresponds exactly with its contents.

IOO

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the double doors at the top and front of the bin aord a very wide filling-opening when both doors are opened, although, as is obvious, only one of said doors maybe opened, if so desired. The door at the top is more particularly for use where the bin projects beyond the shelving and the Vertical door where the bin is flush with the shelving.

It will be apparent that the contents of the bin will be fed by gravity through the opening 13 into the partition 14 and may be readily withdrawn by a scoop when the door 20 is open. In scooping out sugars, rice, spices, or other articles of like character from a drawer or bin it frequently happens that particles of the material drawn out by the scoop drop down on the front of the bin. This is not only a source of loss but also of untidiness and annoyance.

avoid these objections, since the overflow or droppings from the scoop fall through the opening 19 into the drawer 17, where they accumulate until the drawer is removed and emptied. v

Vhile a single bin -constructed as above described may be employed and will constitute a complete device, it is designed to employ a series of such bins together, as shown in Fig. 1, each separated from the next adjacent bin by connecting-partitions and all supported upon a continuous base or bottom.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is;

1. A cabinet comprising one or more bins or receptacles for groceries, said receptacles being provided with downwardly and rearwardlyinclined bottoms having passage-ways at the rear for the passage of the contents of By providing the front end of the partition 14 with the opening 19- I the receptacles,horizontal partitions arranged below the inclined bottoms and provided at the front edge with openings, receptacles located below said4 horizontal partitions, and doors in the front of the bins to permit access to the material on the horizontal partitions.

2. A cabinet comprising one or more bins or receptacles for groceries, said receptacles having transparent fronts or face-plates and vertical partitions in the rear of said plates forming sample-compartments, and having also downwardly and rearwardly inclined bottoms provided with throatways at the back through which the contents of the receptacle feed downwardly into a space below the bottom whence they may be removed, a space being left at the lower edge of the vertical partition for the sample-compartments to automatically discharge their contents when the receptacles are emptied.

3. A cabinet comprising one or more bins or receptacles for groceries, said receptacles being provided with downwardly and rearwardly inclined bottoms, having passageways at their rear for the passage of their contents, horizontal partitions arranged be l'ow the inclined bottoms of the receptacles and provided at their front edges with openings leading toreceptacles below, doors in the front of the bins to permit access to the niateral on the horizontal partitions, and sliding drawers beneath said partitions to catch the material falling through the openings at the front.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES A. ONVEN.

Witnesses:

E. M. CHAPMAN, C. C. OWEN. 

